After this short international break, the season comes back with a bang for Arsenal. Next Saturday sees the Gunners host the Premier League holders Man City at the Emirates and then we fly off to Germany for the first Champions League group game with Borussia Dortmund. Now it may be a bit soon, but I would suggest that two defeats in those games would almost ruin the season for us before we even got going.
And the way that Arsenal have been playing so far, two defeats would not really be too much of a surprise, so what do Arsene Wenger and the players need to do different when the club games resume?
The Gunners have already kept three clean sheets from six games, including the Community Shield and were unlucky with that equaliser from Leicester because of the injury to Koscielny, while Everton’s second should not have stood for two reasons, so with all the players up to match sharpness, I am not too worried about the defence.
Where we have been below par so far is on the creative side of things and in finishing those chances that have been created. Hopefully Danny Welbeck will settle quickly and provide a good focal point for the attack. Alexis Sanchez seems to be hitting form and I think he will only get better.
But we need much more from two of our key players, Ramsey and Ozil. The German needs to be playing in the number 10 role and Rambo just needs to get back to what he was doing last season. It seems to me that he is trying too hard to force the issue, maybe because he feels the pressure is on him to repeat his feats of last year.
I don’t think Arsenal are too far away and the fighting qualities and determination have been great, but we need to sharpen up a bit and start clicking. I just hope that it happens sooner rather than later or we could leave ourselves too big a mountain to climb.
Lol. Good luck persuading Arsene Wenger, most stubborn man alive.
in fairness after leicester he admitted we needed striker…only about two years too late…stubborn indeed
Not really. He said (quote) : we missed something.Team played 5 games in two weeks time […]
I can give you the link for the video because clearly you didn’t listened to it and take whatever retards like leo say as the oracle of EPL.
lol you really are a ray of sunshine budd…
the biggest retard is budd trying to divide every single one of us here he rates coqulein (who at 23 isn’t even wanted by qpr) thinks giroud is > mandzukic
everybody beware of this imposter he is a spud trying 2 divide us with his clueless sh*t remarks
leo. I rate Coquelin too, always have since he was in the Academy.
OK, he has not lit up the Emirates yet, but, he has had little opportunity, and some players, if not all, need games with the team to progress.
team played 5 games in 2 week what a pathetic excuse well guess what FA cup/carling cup games are only about 2 begin not to mention cl group stage matches if wenger isn’t ready it’s his stubbornness.
every other teams have 2 play similar format the difference between us & them is they want 2 win trophies while we are happy with 4th place trophy
we have got what we desperately needed, a quality striker. Although we didnt get the holding mid we needed badly but I guess we will be ok as long as Flamini can perform like he did against besiktas. I just do not believe in Arteta any longer. We need to use Ozil right and if we do that and mesut starts performing we will fire our way through. COYG
Hope we are injury free. After that I don’t see why can’t we win this game. There are no long trips for the players (except Sanchez/Campbell) so they should come nice and ready. Can’t wait the match day.
I think you can tell from the player’s social media comments, that they are not quite as happy/content/confident as they were last year. I’m not sure they are finding the new formation fruitful either. I think they need to go back to the 4 2 3 1 formation. I would like to see Welbeck up front, Campbell on the left, Ozil in the middle with Alexis on the right. Ramsey (CAM) with Flamini to protect the back 4. Monreal or Gibbs on the left Kos and Per and Debuchy. Szchesny of course in goal. For me it’s balanced as each player knows how to play the position. I also would like to see more of Rosicky, who for me can light a game up with his speed of movement.
You’ve got it, man! That’s exactly the team. But Özil MUST be the CAM with Campbell and Sanchez either side of him. Ramsey plays behind them with Flamini/Arteta. It’s useless to play Özil out wide. If Wenger gets his selections right, we can do very well. But if he keeps playing his best players out of position, then it’s 4th place here we go again. Once Walcott is fit, Sanchez can move to left and Walcott to right in 4-2-3-1 formation. Wenger must not be tempted to play 4-1-4-1. Then the midfield creativity will be stifled. The defence will be OK.
I somehow, can’t wait to see welbeck play. He’ll be a great signing. IMO.
I agree, but we are asking a lot of him too.
Giroud costed 12M, he costed 16M, came from a bigger club, and ofc is English. so for sure we will ask more of him 🙂
Sorry I didn’t make myself clear, what I meant was that he has to hit the ground very fast especially with the matches we have coming up soon.
Going toe to toe against these teams will bring us results similar to the last Everton vs Chelsea game. These are big games for the coach to win so as to prove us wrong. An improvement on our game plan and game tactics will see us through. If the coach improves on this and win all these games we will all be made to eat humble pie.
Amen
The change I want to see is simple, Ozil and Cazorla used as CAM allowing us to rotate and have competition. Use our wingers in their positions, I think we have enough of them not to use Ozil on the flank.
Formation. That’s all we need to change. Ramsey is playing too far up the pitch, hence why his performances haven’t been as good. Özil has been playing wide which is obviously a waste of his talents. Playing a 4-1-4-1 ,like we have been playing, only works for Wilshere. I think we have to go back to a 4-2-3-1. Welbeck showed last night in the England game that he drops deep and gets involved with the build up. He could be incredible as a lone striker. Plays Giroud’s sort of game just has a lot more pace.
Szczezny
Debuchy Mert Kos Monreal RamseyWilshere Flamini
Walcott/Ox Özil Alexis
Welbeck
If Welbeck works on his finishing, this could be a lethal starting 11.
Although left footed, Alexis is not a left sided player, it would be like asking Messi to play on the left wing. Theo and Alexis are in direct competition, and putting Alexis on the left is almost akin to playing Ozil on the left.
I’m happy to be proved wrong, but just putting red ticks against this statement doesn’t change the facts as I understand them. he has never, for any extended period, played on the left wing.
why not try Ox on left? Walcott is far from being fit, as per Arsenal standards he will not start for at least 4-5 more games. Alexis on right, Ox/Carzola on left, Ozil as CAM
The problem with Ox on the left is he is a right footed player. That means that his instinct is to come inside. That takes him out of position if a move breaks down easily exposing the left flank especially if the left back has been involved. Cazola, is not a winger, and also likes to cut inside as his instinct is a CAM. That leaves the left flank exposed again as before. Tactically acute managers set up and train to exploit this weakness. Martinez and his Everton side are the most noticeable side to do this, putting Lukaku up against Monreal in particular. They draw the left wing in to the centre, leaving Lukaku v Monreal in a foot race.
What Arsenal need to change after the break :- pray that we won’t hammered like last season
When everyone is fit and ready, this is what I’d have our starting lineup as and bench:
Szszesny
Debuchy Mert Kos Gibbs
Ramsey Arteta
Walcott Ozil Sanchez
Welbeck
Bench: Ospina, Monreal, Chambers, Wilshere, Cazorla, Ox, Giroud
That leaves Podolski, Campbell, Rosicky, Diaby and Flamini etc as squad players and injuries will occur so it’s good to have that depth.
I’d love to put Wilshere in for Arteta however I just don’t believe Wilshere and Ramsey can play that we’ll together, it’s a shame but whilst the one is in form the other is out of form.
Which one is in form and which one is not? Cos whilst Ramsey has the goals he has also been the far weaker and the one looking more out of form.
In fact, I am not sure we have actually had a single player that has really showed any sort of consistency yet this season.
I am not slating anyone here, but it makes it all the more remarkable that we have extended our unbeaten run by winning 3 and drawing 3 of our 6 matches so far plus we have qualified for the champions league and collected a trophy, which in most countries is called the super cup and highly valued. I would like to see the fa change the name of the community shield or if not replace it with a super cup. Perhaps the community shield could passed to the winners of the first international.friendly of the season or become a shield for two home countries to play for
A report from CaughtOffside is claiming Arsene Wenger is still interested in Marco Reus and Sami Khedira. This makes sense, Khedira would be free next summer and Marco Reus’ 20 million buyout clause comes into effect next summer, so we could potentially land the pair of them for 20 million in all. That sounds like very much an Arsene Wenger thing to do to me.
plz no transfer speculation we still coming to terms with one just gone
due 2 the FFP we had good chance this transfer window but next window we will have compete with top clubs (minus barca ) & reus may change his mind but hope not we should push for the deals in jan
I believe there is an agreement between BvB and RM for Reus. Also BvB to Arsenal nowadays is a bit of a sideways move.
One thing we must NOT change is our unbeaten run, stretching right back until everton away last season. If we can keep that going, switch back to 4231, get jack and rambo working the double pivot, ozil back in his favoured cam role, with Theo and alexis flanking welbeck and everyone firing, we could go into the next transfer window, in healthy position and ready for an assault on all 4 fronts.
mostly agreed with you atid, except wilshere ramsey double pivot CM right now is VERY risky.
ability wise they’re very similar type of player, with the exception of that Ramsey is more direct.
I do see that Wilshere will be our future DLP taking over Arteta. But he currently operates very much in same area as Ramsey, which isn’t helping.
wilshere needs to be fine tuned to play deeper before he can be a 1st team regular.
Welbeck looked bright enough last night, and had a very decent attempt saved. If we use him well, he will deliver the goods. As to how well, time will tell, but he is as good a change as any.
Henry needs to come back and teach him how to hit the ball with style.
What i expect from Wenger is that to allow player to start in the poz they are used to play. Playing players out of poz, is more harmful to form and moral then benching them.
Also his personal favorisem is kinda bad. Not ruthles enough, which spoils players rrlly bad.
When I supported Wenger when he didn’t buy Cesc back, didn’t know he was about to change formation to 4-1-4-1 which I find Bizzare since it obviously kills Ozil’s abilities.
If we play the same aganst man city, Emirates or not, we will get whooped. Last season, a 2 man deep two were not enough to stop counters against top teams, how effective will just one holding mid be?
And there in lies my worry, Wenger has been doing some bizarre things recently. The Kim Kallstrom affair being one of the most.